🌄 Riverside & San Bernardino counties
The Inland Empire with kids
Curated by Simir Shah
32 spots across Southern California — add your zip or city to sort by what's closest to you
Tom's Farms
Corona
Roadside farm market off I-15 with a weekend fun zone — pony rides, petting zoo, carousel, gem mining, free magic show — plus famous fudge.
🗓️ Daily; Fun Zone weekends
Storm Stadium (Lake Elsinore Storm)
Lake Elsinore · Minor league baseball
Affordable Single-A ball in a ~7,800-seat park — look for fireworks nights. Cheap tickets and parking.
🗓️ Apr–Sep home games
💵 Tickets ~$10–20
California Citrus State Historic Park
Riverside
Walk working orange groves from Riverside's citrus-boom heyday. Bring a hat and water — it bakes in summer.
🗓️ Daily; spring is loveliest
Chino Hills State Park
Chino Hills · State park & hiking
90+ miles of trails with almost no shade and common rattlesnakes — go early, carry water, and skip it after rain (the clay roads close).
🗓️ Cool months; closes 48h after rain
💵 ~$5 vehicle day-use
Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve
Murrieta · Nature reserve
Oak woodlands and seasonal vernal pools; the flat Transpreserve loop is family-doable. Little shade — summer afternoons bake.
🗓️ Spring vernal pools (~April); go early
💵 ~$4–5/adult
Castle Park
Riverside · Amusement park
Old-school family park with one of SoCal's best 18-hole mini-golf courses and a junior coaster. Rides skew young — a sweet spot for under-12s.
🗓️ Year-round; weekday afternoons quietest
💵 ~$25–35 ride wristband
Prado Regional Park
Chino · Park, lake & camping
A 60-acre stocked fishing lake plus campsites with hookups (CA fishing license required for ages 16+).
🗓️ Daily; catfish summer, trout winter
💵 Vehicle fee; camping $35–55
Southern California Railway Museum
Perris · Train rides & museum
California's largest railway museum (formerly Orange Empire) — admission and parking are free, and weekends you can ride real trolleys all day.
🗓️ Grounds daily; rides Sat–Sun
💵 Grounds free; ride tickets ~$8–13
Planes of Fame Air Museum
Chino · Aviation museum
Nearly 100 aircraft, many still airworthy — weekends you can climb inside the B-17. Pair it with Yanks Air Museum next door for an aviation day.
🗓️ Wed–Sun
💵 ~$16 adult; kids discounted
Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center
Jurupa Valley · Nature & dinosaurs
Life-size dinosaur replicas, a rock/fossil collection and gem-mining sluice — a quirky hit with dino-obsessed little kids.
🗓️ Check days/hours before going
💵 Modest admission; activities extra
March Field Air Museum
Riverside · Aviation museum
100+ aircraft, mostly on an outdoor flight line — the closest big attraction for Moreno Valley families. The tarmac bakes by midday.
🗓️ Tue–Sun; go in the morning
💵 ~$15 adult, ~$6 kids
Pennypickle's Workshop (Temecula Children's Museum)
Temecula · Children's museum
Whimsical inventor-themed interactive museum, best for ages ~4–10. Timed 2-hour sessions sell out — buy online ahead.
🗓️ Tue–Sun, timed sessions
💵 ~$6/person
Old Town Temecula
Temecula
Six walkable blocks of boardwalks, candy and ice-cream shops, and fountains. Free garages on Mercedes and 6th fill fast on weekends.
🗓️ Daily; liveliest evenings & weekends
Mount Rubidoux
Riverside
Paved 3.2-mile loop to a summit cross with big views, doable with older kids. Park free at Ryan Bonaminio Park, not the residential streets.
🗓️ Dawn–dusk; go early in summer
Fox Performing Arts Center
Riverside · Historic landmark
A beautifully restored 1929 downtown theater — the Mission Revival landmark where Gone with the Wind was famously first previewed — now hosting concerts, comedy and family shows. Check the calendar for kid-friendly performances and pair it with a stroll to the nearby Mission Inn.
🗓️ Show nights year-round
💵 Varies by show
Mission Inn Hotel & Spa
Riverside
Castle-like 1900s downtown landmark. During the free Festival of Lights, go on a weeknight and use a garage to dodge the crowds.
🗓️ Year-round; Festival of Lights late Nov–early Jan
The Cheech (Riverside Art Museum)
Riverside · Art museum
The country's premier Chicano art museum — kids love the giant lenticular 'Lock & Key' piece. First Sundays (Oct–May) are free with a reservation.
🗓️ Wed–Sun
💵 ~$18 adult; under 12 free
Fairmount Park
Riverside
Historic Olmsted-firm park with lakes, a splash pad, playgrounds and swan pedal boats.
🗓️ Daily, daylight hours
Vail Headquarters
Temecula
Restored 1800s ranch buildings with the Cookhouse Food Hall and shops. Tuesday's market adds train rides and yard games; free parking.
🗓️ Daily; farmers market Tue
Temecula Wine Country Hot-Air Balloon Rides
Temecula · Attraction
Those colorful balloons drifting over the vineyards at dawn are a Temecula signature, and several operators fly family-friendly rides that lift off just after sunrise. Flights are weather-dependent and book up fast, so reserve ahead — and the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival each spring is a fun way to see dozens rise at once.
🗓️ Sunrise flights, weather permitting; year-round
💵 Varies (dawn flights; book ahead)
Lake Perris State Recreation Area
Perris · Lake & recreation
Big sandy swim beach, boat/kayak/paddleboard rentals, fishing and camping. Arrive early for parking on hot days.
🗓️ Year-round; lifeguarded swim in summer
💵 Day-use fee per vehicle
Peltzer Farm
Temecula · Family farm
Pig races, pony/train rides and gem mining (winery for the adults). Go a weekday in October to dodge the crush.
🗓️ Pumpkin season Sep–Oct; weekends off-season
💵 Fall admission ~$15–20
Ontario Mills
Ontario
California's largest outlet mall (200+ stores) with AMC 30, the Improv and Dave & Buster's — a solid rainy/hot-day fallback. Note your entrance door.
🗓️ Daily
LoanMart Field (Rancho Cucamonga Quakes)
Rancho Cucamonga · Minor league baseball
Single-A ball in a ~6,000-seat park — cheap tickets, fireworks nights and a very kid-friendly vibe with Tremor the mascot.
🗓️ Apr–Sep home games
💵 Tickets from ~$10
Victoria Gardens
Rancho Cucamonga
Open-air 'main street' mall with the Cultural Center, a library and the Lewis Family Playhouse (strong kids' theater series). Easy free parking.
🗓️ Daily
Diamond Valley Lake
Hemet · Lake & trails
Boating, fishing and lakeside trails — but no swimming or water contact allowed. Trail gates close at posted hours.
🗓️ Wed–Sun; spring wildflowers in April
💵 Parking/day-use fee
Kimberly Crest House & Gardens
Redlands · Historic house & gardens
A French chateau-style 1897 mansion with terraced Italian gardens. Grounds are free to wander; call ahead — it hosts private events.
🗓️ Grounds most days; tours Thu/Fri/Sun
💵 Grounds free; tours ~$15
Original McDonald's Site & Museum
San Bernardino
On the site of the world's first McDonald's (1940) — a quirky free memorabilia museum and fun Route 66 photo stop.
🗓️ Daily ~10am–5pm
A.K. Smiley Library & Lincoln Shrine
Redlands
A storybook 1898 Moorish-style library beside Smiley Park, with the only Lincoln/Civil War museum west of the Mississippi next door — free.
🗓️ Library hours; Shrine Tue–Sun
North Etiwanda Preserve (Etiwanda Falls)
Rancho Cucamonga
A ~3.2-mile out-and-back to a seasonal waterfall. No dogs, no trailhead restrooms, and the lot fills on weekend mornings.
🗓️ Best flow late winter/spring
San Bernardino County Museum
Redlands · Natural history museum
Dinosaurs, a huge bird-egg collection, and the Exploration Station STEAM lab — a great beat-the-heat stop right off I-10.
🗓️ Tue–Sun
💵 ~$10 adult
Glen Helen Regional Park
San Bernardino · Regional park & water play
Two fishing lakes plus dual waterslides and a zero-depth splash area for toddlers. Packed on hot summer weekends — arrive early.
🗓️ Daily; swim complex summer only
💵 $10–15/vehicle; swim ~$15–20
Where to eat in the Inland Empire
Family-friendly local favorites — from a 1937 Route 66 institution to Old Town Temecula classics.
Mitla Cafe
San BernardinoMexican
A Route 66 institution since 1937 — one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the U.S., and its tacos dorados reputedly inspired Taco Bell. Closed Mondays.
Market Broiler
RiversideSeafood
A 30-year local institution near downtown — get the clam chowder, warm sourdough and the daily fresh-fish list. Big tables for families.
Simple Simon's Bakery & Bistro
RiversideBakery / cafe
Beloved downtown breakfast-and-lunch counter for fresh-baked bread before a museum morning. Expect a weekend line.
The Tartan
RedlandsFamily diner
A 55-plus-year family spot where every entree is a 'complete meal' with bread, soup or salad, and ice cream included. Great value.
Romano's Chicago Pizzeria
RedlandsDeep-dish pizza
Chicago-style deep dish and classic Italian in a cozy, kid-easy setting.
Lazy Dog
CoronaAmerican
Genuinely kid- and dog-friendly at Dos Lagos — broad menu and a real kids' menu. Also near Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga.
Mad Madeline's Grill
TemeculaBurgers & shakes
Classic Old Town burger, hot dog, fries and milkshake spot — reliably casual and kid-friendly.
Cookhouse Food Hall
TemeculaFood hall
Four chef-owned kitchens under one roof at Vail Headquarters, with communal seating so everyone picks their own thing.
Apple Annie's
Oak GlenComfort food & pie
In Oak Tree Village — order a slice (or the towering Mile-High pie) after apple picking in the hills above Yucaipa.
The Sycamore Inn
Rancho CucamongaSteakhouse
A historic Route 66 landmark serving since the 1800s — the area's grown-up special-occasion icon.
Kalaveras
CoronaModern Mexican
Lively spot for molcajete, housemade salsas and shrimp enchiladas — a step up from taco-shop fare, good for groups.
Rainforest Cafe
OntarioThemed American
Inside Ontario Mills — animatronic animals and indoor 'thunderstorms' are a hit with younger kids. Weekend waits.
Inland Empire events worth planning around
Mission Inn Festival of Lights
Nov–JanRiverside — A free downtown holiday spectacle — millions of lights, fake snow, carriage rides and Santa. Go on a weeknight; the opening 'Switch-On' weekend is mobbed.
Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival
FebruaryIndio — The county's 78-year institution: carnival rides, camel and ostrich races, monster trucks and date treats (out in the Coachella Valley).
Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival
Jun–AugRedlands — The longest continuously running FREE outdoor music festival in the U.S. (Tue & Fri nights). Bring low chairs; the season ends with fireworks.
Oak Glen Apple Season
Sep–Dec (peak Oct)Oak Glen — U-pick apples, cider pressing, corn mazes and donuts across Los Rios Rancho, Snow-Line and Riley's. Go a weekday or early Saturday in October.
National Orange Show
AprilSan Bernardino — The historic citrus fair, back after a hiatus — carnival rides, food and the citrus art exhibit. A nostalgic, affordable IE staple.
Riverside Tamale Festival
AprilRiverside — Downtown's biggest food festival at White Park — dozens of tamale vendors plus folklorico and live music. Kids 12 & under free.
Temecula Rod Run
May (also fall)Temecula — A free, longstanding Old Town classic-car show (500+ cars) with a Friday cruise night. Park early — it draws tens of thousands.
San Bernardino County Fair
MayVictorville — The county fair with rides, livestock, concerts and demolition derbies. The high-desert location gets hot and windy — go for an evening session.
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Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in the Inland Empire with kids?
A lot more than people expect. Highlights include Castle Park and the Mission Inn in Riverside, the San Bernardino County Museum and Kimberly Crest in Redlands, the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, Glen Helen and Lake Perris for water play, Planes of Fame in Chino, Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga, and cheap, fun minor-league baseball with the Quakes (Rancho Cucamonga) and Storm (Lake Elsinore).
What about the heat? When's the best time to go?
The IE valley floor gets genuinely hot in summer (often 95–105°F). For outdoor spots — Mount Rubidoux, Chino Hills State Park, Lake Perris, the citrus park — go early in the morning or save them for fall through spring. On hot days, lean on the indoor/A/C options: the county museum, the Cheech, Ontario Mills, or the splash play at Glen Helen.
Where can families cool off in the Inland Empire?
Glen Helen Regional Park in San Bernardino has dual waterslides and a zero-depth splash area for toddlers (summer only). Lake Perris has a lifeguarded swim beach plus kayak and paddleboard rentals. Both get packed on hot weekends, so arrive early for parking.
Is the Inland Empire good for a day trip from LA or OC?
Yes — most of these spots are 45–90 minutes from LA or Orange County. Easy day-trip pairings: the railway museum + Lake Perris; Planes of Fame + Ontario Mills; the Mission Inn + the Cheech + the citrus park in Riverside; or fall apple picking up in Oak Glen above Yucaipa.